Traffic issues at two Huron intersections came to light Monday and a city commissioner also asked for the public’s cooperation when firefighters are responding to calls.

Officials have been studying possible stop signs at Fifth Street and Kansas Avenue Southeast for the past few months. The original thought was to erect signs on Fifth Street, but that street is an ambulance route.

Commissioner Kerwin Haeder told fellow commissioners that they then considered signs on Kansas Avenue at the intersection, but there are issues there as well.

Action has been deferred indefinitely until the construction of a new clinic facility at the former site of St. Martin School. Nothing is finalized on the project.

However, if the clinic is built it would likely have an effect on the traffic pattern in the area.

Commissioner Mark Robish said traffic lights at Fourth Street and Dakota Avenue South were shut down Monday and four-way stop signs were installed on a temporary basis.

NorthWestern Energy is replacing a pole on one corner and there is also construction work ongoing.

Haeder said volunteer firefighters were hampered in their ability to respond to recent daytime house fires because of increased traffic involving people driving to the same location.

There have also been safety concerns with bystanders getting too close to fire operations, he said. He reminded the public to stay a safe distance away and to refrain from driving near fires.

Commissioner Dale Schneider said the public library did not reopen as scheduled on Monday because new shelving didn’t arrive until Saturday and it will take a few days to move the books onto the shelves.

He also announced that Memorial Golf Course is finished and may be playable by late summer or early fall.

The commission approved appointments and reappointments to 10 local boards, committees and commissions.

Steven Butler was reappointed to the Civil Service Board, while Justin Fischer was reappointed to the Community Improvement Committee.

Bruce Hartley, Brett Warren, Troy Merriam and Denny Meyer were appointed to the Employee Safety Committee and Julie Pomerico was reappointed.

Nancy Tofflemire and Brian Crabb were reappointed to the Historic Preservation Commission, while Scott Ramsell was reappointed to the Housing and Redevelopment Board.

Kent Schneider and Cara Osier were reappointed to the Lake & Riverfront Development Committee. Jim Gropper and Mona Jensen-Olson were reappointed to the Library Board.

Bob Jones was reappointed to the Parks and Recreation Board and Tim Sletten and Ron Gogolin were reappointed to the Planning Commission. There is one vacancy on the commission.

Timothy Jenkins and Roger Chase were reappointed to the Water Board.

Meanwhile, the commission approved a variance request from Wilber Williams, 966 Frank Ave. S.E., to construct a 12-by-12-foot addition five feet from the south property line where code requires a seven-foot side yard setback.

The board approved a variance request from Jon and Patricia Thompson and Hospitality Consultants LLC to construct two duplexes at 220-230 and 276-286 24th St. S.W. that will be 12 feet from the south property line where code requires a 20-foot rear yard setback.

In other action, the commission:

• Approved the volunteer firefighter application of Jeremy James. There are still openings in the department.

• Approved the full-time status of Rex Sawvell, construction technician in the parks and recreation department, after a probationary period.

• Hired Josh Fleek as a seasonal parks and recreation employee this summer. His salary will be paid through federal stimulus dollars. He is the second seasonal employee to be hired who is being paid with stimulus funds.

• Approved an alcoholic beverage consumption request from the Huron High School Class of 1989 for Ravine Lake east shelter on July 4.

• Approved a $65,387 payment request for Dahme Construction of Aberdeen for water main replacement work.

• Approved a $141,174 payment request for Excel Underground of Sioux Falls for water main replacement work.

• Approved a bid of $557 per ton for road oil for chip sealing off a Beadle County bid.

• Approved a $2,879 payment request from Muth Electric of Huron for baseball field lighting.

• Approved a $90,986 payment request from Asphalt Paving & Materials Co. of Huron for curb, gutter and asphalt work on California Avenue Southwest between Fifth and Seventh streets and for the public library parking lot.

• Approved a change order increasing the contract with Asphalt Paving & Materials Co. for street milling and overlay by $26,588. Also approved was a $238,643 payment request.

• Set June 15 as the bid-opening date for a new skid steer loader for the street department.

• Approved 2009-2010 malt beverage and South Dakota farm wine license renewals.

• Gave second reading to repeal the existing flood damage prevention ordinance and gave second reading to a new ordinance that includes new floodplain insurance rate maps. There will be strict limits on building in the floodplain.

• Conducted a hearing on proposed water line replacement and wastewater improvement projects for which the city is applying for funding.

• Adopted a resolution pertaining to a change in a project on Lincoln Avenue Southwest.

The project involves milling and asphalt overlay and was to be done this year. It will be delayed until 2010, but will also include curb and gutter work.



For the complete article see the 06-02-2009 issue.

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